As expected since they have been teasing the vehicle, BMW opened the Auto China 2018 show in Beijing with the unveiling of its next all-electric vehicle: the BMW iX3. The new EV SUV will be first produced in Shenyang, China by its BMW- Brilliance joint venture and it’s scheduled for a late 2020 launch.
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As the first production electric car from BMW, the future iX3 will be based on the same architecture as a conventional drive vehicle with an internal combustion engine demonstrating how the path to a highly flexible drive portfolio should be designed. As the concept car for Beijing 2018 clearly shows, the BMW iX3 will also leave behind the controversial design of previous i models.
Instead, it is recognizable as a variant of the BMW G01 X3, but with its own identity. The visibly linked kidneys and the front apron with aerodynamic elements are combined with aerodynamically optimized wheels, while in the rear, blue diffuser elements replace the tailpipes of conventionally-powered vehicles.
Although the concept does not reveal its interior, we can assume a very similar strategy: Close to the interior design of the standard X3 but with i-branded elements.
As far as its drivetrain, BMW mentions a maximum output of over 200 kW/270 hp and a model-specific high-voltage battery with a net capacity of over 70kWh for a range of “more than 400 kilometers (249 miles) in the WLTP cycle.
It is rumored that the iX3 might be available only with a rear-wheel drive configuration because the lithium-ion battery in the underbody of the vehicle takes up space for a cardan shaft.
The automaker also says that the vehicle will be able to take a charging rate of up to 150 kW, like several other all-electric SUVs expected to come out in the next 2 years.
Why the hell BMW should be building Kias?
HA! you beat me to it. Kia grills are looking more like BMW grilles and vice versa.
If BMWblog has someone at the show, can they find out what’s under the fuel filler door?
We will, tomorrow.
And please ask about xDrive
Thank you, for checking it out, and the response I didn’t expect. 👍
I’m here and the i3X is still roped off so we can’t get close. I was told it’s just a normal chargeport with european Type 2 & CCS. However they won’t open it. Still, nobody here can talk as to xDrive or not. There aren’t many people on the show floor here that speak English today. They were all here yesterday for the press conference. I’ll keep trying.
Wow thanks Tom, you really travel far for electric BMWs I only expected the guys from BMWblog to possibly be there. If the fuel filler door is where the J1772/CCS port is, and the additional J1772 port on the front fender it looks like German manufacturers are going with an additional port. Audi has apparently done the same with the e-tron SUV, they’ve put charge ports on both front fenders, and placed the J1772/CCS on the driver’s side.
Crazy schedule for us. Otherwise we would have been there. But we will be somewhere cool next week :)
BMWi says the charge port on the left front side is for the Chinese market. The charge port on the right back side is for the rest of the world. In Europe we’ll only have the charge port flap on the right back side, similar to the i3.
Thanks. That’s interesting
All-wheel drive in EVs has always been accomplished with two (or more) motors, one for each axle. Using a physical drive shaft (cardan shaft) to transmit power from a single motor to the other end of the car (a la fossil cars) would be utter folly in an EV.
OK. Looks better in the real life photos than the photoshopped press photos.
I’m OK with the grill but not sure if I will get to like it or not. I think BMW is really missing out on an opportunity to go retro with their grills.
good effort architecture wise. But what a horrible nose job, if they keep this nose which is a KIA tiger-nose look alike, then I am not buying. I want the standard double kidney grill. Don’t mess with your icnic look BMW. If the kidney grill and Hoffmiester kink are gone then you are no better than a Hyundai or kia. You will loose your brand identity.
This looks absolutely horrid.